"There," she said, as he released her. "Isn't that the way we have
played it ever since I can remember? Whenever you catch me, you may
have that!"
"I am afraid, Melisse," he said seriously. "You are growing so tall
and so pretty that I am afraid."
"Afraid! My brother afraid to kiss me! And what will you do when I get
to be a woman, Jan--which will be very soon, you say?"
"I don't know, Melisse."
She turned her back to him and flung out her hair; and Jan, who had
done this same thing for her a hundred times before, divided the
silken mass into three strands and plaited them into a braid.
"I don't believe that you care for me as much as you used to, Jan. I
wish I were a woman, so that I might know if you are going to forget
me entirely!"
Her shoulders trembled; and when he had finished his task, he found
that she was laughing, and that her eyes were swimming with a new
mischief which she was trying to hide from him. In that laugh there
was something which was not like Melisse. Slight as the change was, he
noticed it; but instead of displeasing him, it set a vague sensation
of pleasure trilling like a new song within him.
When they reached the post, Melisse went to the cabin with her
bakneesh, and Jan to the company's store. Tossing the vines upon the
table, Melisse ran back to the door and watched him until he
disappeared.
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